Control holder for electric blankets



United States Patent 3,011,746 CONTRDL HGLDER FOR ELECTRIC BLANKETS Genevieve Clare Zangger, 22833 Dolores St., Wilmington, Calif. Filed June 3, 1959, Ser. No. 817,865 2 Claims. (Cl. 248-214) This invention relates to an attachment for a bed, and more particularly to an attachment for a bed which is adapted to be used for supporting a control device that is adapted to be used for controlling an electric blanket.

The object of the invention is to provide a device which can be readily attached to a bed having steel rails or wooden rails, and wherein the device of the present invention provides a convenient support for the wires and control mechanism of an electric blanket which is being used on the bed.

Another object of the invention is to provide a member which can be readily attached to or detached from the side rail of a bed, and wherein with the device attached to such a rail, the control device for an electric blanket can be conveniently supported thereon so that it is readily available or accessible to a person using or lying in the bed.

A further object of the invention is to provide an electric blanket control supporting device which is extremely simple and inexpensive to manufacture.

Other objects and advantages will be apparent during the course of the following description.

In the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this application, and in which like numerals are used to designate like parts throughout the same.

FIG. 1 is a side elevational view showing the supporting device of the present invention being used on a bed for supporting the control device of an electric blanket.

KG. 2 is a plan view of the supporting device per se, and taken generally on the line 22 of FIG. 3.

FIG. 3 is a side elevational view of the supporting device.

FIG. 4 is an end elevational view.

FIG. 5 is a sectional View taken through a bed having wood rails, and showing two of the supporting devices being used.

FIG. 6 is a sectional view taken through the steel rail of a bed and showing the supporting device of the present invention attached thereto.

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the supporting device of the present invention.

Referring in detail to the drawings, the numeral 10 indicates a conventional bed, FIG. 1, which includes horizontally disposed side rails 11, and the bed 19 includes the usual mattress 12. The numeral 13 indicates a conventional electric blanket for use with the bed It and the numeral 14 indicates a conventional control device for regulating or controlling the temperature or heat of the blanket 13. The control device 14 may include a manually operable knob or member 15 which can be adjusted to regulate the temperature of the electric blanket 13. Gne or more pillows 16 may be provided for the bed 10.

According to the present invention there is provided a supporting device which is indicated generally by the numeral 17, and the supporting device 17 is adapted to be attached to one of the rails 11 of the bed 19. The supporting device 17 includes a horizontally disposed block or support member 18 which is provided with pairs of spaced apart openings or apertures 19 and 213.

As shown in the drawings, a first body member 21 is adjustably connected to the support member 13, and the body member 21 includes a pair of spaced parallel horizontally disposed first portions 22 which extend into the openings 29. Vertically disposed spaced parallel second portions 23 extend upwardly from the first portions 22 ice and terminate in upwardly arranged third portions 24. Fourth portions 25 which are vertically disposed depend from the third portions 24, and the lower ends of the fourth portions 25 are joined or connected by horizontally disposed fifth portions 26. The portions 23 and 25 are spaced from each other and this space is adapted to receive a rail such as the rail 11 therehetween.

There is further provided a second body member which is indicated generally by the numeral 27, and the body member 27 is also adjustably connected to the support member 18. The body member 27 may be fabricated of a single piece of suitable wire-like material and includes horizontally disposed spaced parallel first sections 28 which engage the openings 19 in the support member 18. Extending upwardly from the first sections 28 are vertically disposed second sections 29, and the upper ends of the second sections 29 are joined or connected by horizontally disposed third sections 30.

The rails 11 may be made of wood, as for example as shown in FIG. 5, or the rails shown in FIG. 6 may be made of steel and the spacing between the portions 23 and 25 can be varied in order to accommodate steel or wood rails of different shapes or sizes. This is illustrated in FIG. 3 wherein the solid line position of the portions 25 is shown in a position to accommodate a steel rail which is of less width generally than a wood rail, while in FIG. 3 the broken lines indicate an alternative position for the portions 25 which can accommodate a wider rail such as a wood rail.

From the foregoing, it is apparent that there has been provided a device which is especially suitable for use in supporting a control member such as the control member 14 which is for use with an electric blanket such as the blanket 13. The numeral 32 indicates an electric wire which is adapted to be used for connecting the control device 14 to a suitable source of electrical energy, and a wire or cable 33 serves to electrically connect the blanket 13 to the control device 14.

In use, the member 21 is adapted to engage the rails such as the rail 11 of the bed 16, and due to the shape of the parts 23, 24 and 25, the member 21 will remain connected to the bed rail so that accidental disengage ment or displacement thereof will be prevented. The openings 19 and 2 are of such a size that the support member 18 can be adjusted with respect to the position of the members 21 and 27. Thus, with the control device 14 resting on the support member 18, the member 27 can be moved towards the member 21 so that the portion 23 as well as the portion 29 will clamp or hold the control device 14- therebetween so that the control device will be firmly held and will not accidentally fall off of the supporting device 17.

As shown in the drawings the supporting device 17 is adapted to be arranged adjacent the bed such as the bed 10 so that a person lying in the bed can conveniently grip a member such as the control member 15 in order to regulate the temperature of the blanket 13. When the device is being used with wood rails such as the rails 11, the parts can be in the position shown in broken lines in FIG. 3, and when more narrow rails are being gripped, the solid line position of FIG. 3 indicates the desired arrangement or position of the parts.

When the device is not being used, it can be readily disconnected or disengaged from the bed rail.

The parts can be made of any suitable material and in different shapes or sizes.

The control holder of the present invention fastens or hooks on the bed rail within easy reach. As shown in FIG. 5, two of the devices 17 can be used, one for each rail 11, as for example when dual control blankets are being used. Or, when single control blankets are being used, one of the devices will sufiice. With the present invention, the control device 14 will be handy to get at and the electric cord will be kept out of the way and the control device will be within easy reach. A primary purpose of the present invention is to keep the cords at reach from the blanket out of the way so that they will not be tripped over and the present invention also keeps the control box at an easy to reach place.

Minor changes in shape, size and rearrangement of details coming within the field of invention claimed may be resorted to in actual practice, if desired.

What is claimed is:

1. In a holder for an electric blanket control, a horizontally disposed support member provided with a plurality of spaced apart openings, a first body member including a pair of spaced parallel first portions extending through certain of said openings, vertically disposed second portions extending upwardly from said first portions, third portions extending from the upper ends of said second portions, vertically disposed fourth portions depending from said third portions, and a horizontally disposed fifth portion connecting the lower ends of said fourth portions together, and a second body member including spaced parallel first sections engaging other openings in said support member, vertically disposed second sections extending upwardly from said first sections, and a horizontally disposed third section connecting the upper ends of'said second sections together.

2. For use with a bed that includes horizontally disposed side rails, a holder for an electric blanket control, said holder being attached to one of the rails of the bed and said holder comprising a horizontally disposed support member provided with a plurality of spaced apart openings, a first body member adjustably connected to said support member and said first body member including a pair of spaced parallel first portions extending through certain of said openings, vertically disposed second portions extending upwardly from said first portions, third portions extending from the upper ends of said second portions, vertically disposed fourth portions depending from said third portions, and a horizontally disposed fifth portion connecting the lower ends of said fourth portions together, said second and fourth portions being spaced apart and adapted to receive therebetween a rail of a bed, and a second body member adjustably connected to said support member, and said second body member being fabricated of a single piece of Wire like material which is shaped to include spaced parallel first sections engaging other openings insaid support member, vertically disposed second sections extending upwardly from said first sections, and a horizontally disposed third section connecting the upper ends of said second sections together, said support member serving to support the control device of an electric blanket thereon.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 573,835 Taylor Dec. 22, 1896 1,339,018 Boyce May 4, 1920 2,061,937 Fay Nov. 24, 1936 2,520,371 Pandele Aug. 29, 1950 a l-h 

